I keep seeing posts on social media thanking the OFMD cast and crew for their work and not mentioning Taika, and it's driving me to distraction because Taika is absolutely fundamental to the existence of this show.
There's a huge chance the show wouldn't have been picked up at all if Taika hadn't attached his name to it. And he didn't just attach his name and walk away - he played a key role in developing the show. David has said that he was looking at the history with Taika and they both went 'omg Stede and Blackbeard were fucking' and decided to centre the show around that. Taika pushed for Rhys to play Stede. Taika saw Nathan's comedy on instagram and went 'yep that's Lucius'. Taika was desperate to play Ed, and fought to play him. Taika has spoken about how much he loves playing Ed, how it made him fall in love with acting again, to the point where he wears some of Ed's jewellery and has gotten some of Ed's tattoos actually inked on him. He poured everything he has as an actor into Ed (some of the stuff he had to perform, particularly at the beginning of S2, is difficult) and the show simply wouldn't work without it. Taika directed the pilot. He loved the show enough to juggle filming S1 with post-production on Thor: Love and Thunder. When the show's budget was slashed by 40%, and could no longer afford to film in LA, Taika would have been key to moving production to New Zealand - and if that hadn't happened, S2 wouldn't have happened. When a director went off sick with Covid during S2, Taika jumped in to direct half an episode and then didn't take a director's credit on it.
You do not have to like Taika. You do not have to agree with everything he does/says. But what we are not going to do is erase the absolutely key fundamental role that Taika has played in OFMD. This show simply would not exist, probably not in any form, but certainly not in the form we see and love, if not for Taika's continuing and multi-level contribution.
I should be studying but have my take on this meme instead
Bonus:
I always hate it when people are all “so do you go to school, or are you working, or” and I either have to
make up some lie, or
eventually get around to “I am not working because of depression/anxiety,” and subsequently have to deal with whatever bullshit-riddled and completely unsolicited opinions on mental illness this stranger feels obligated to share with me.
So my therapist was like, “You don’t have to do either. You can just say you haven’t worked in a while because you’re recovering from an illness.”
I tried it when the home inspector was here today, and it fucking worked. He was like, “oh, I’m sorry, are you doing better now,” and I’m like yeah, and don’t worry, it’s not contagious, awkward laugh, and we moved on.
MY THERAPIST. IS A GENIUS. Because it is an illness, so it’s not a lie to say that, and it’s also none of his business to know specifically what it is, and I clearly don’t want to give more details, so we should move on from this topic. MY THERAPIST IS A GODDAMN GENIUS.
My ships do it better??
I was looking through my texts w/ some of my friends and found this gem.... who can relate?
This is me and my best friend. I’m the one reading fanfic
Oof get you a friend who cares.... but still... fanfic
Have you hugged your firebender yet today?
Infinity War: The ones we leave behind - 2018
My series of 10 artworks devoted to Infinity War. Note: The empty room is Wanda’s. You can see it in Civil War.
Sorry if it has already been said before, but I was thinking A LOT about one parallel.
It is situated at the beginning and in the end of the movie.
Two scenes paralleling each other perfectly. But at the beginning we can 100% agree that Dazai came here to commemorate his friend, and in the end of the movie… most of us couldn’t agree with Atsushi’s words because our opinions on Dazai can vary. Because everyone of us sees him differently, and so do other Bungou Stray Dogs characters. Mostly, they hate him for what he’s done. For his actions that broke people’s souls. For everything that still itches inside Dazai’s heart.
Dazai by himself thinks that he’s evil. And yes, he’s made lots of things that make him (and us) think so.
But Atsushi doesn’t have the same opinion.
Even knowing that Dazai has done lots and lots of bad things in his life, Atsushi still thinks of him as a good person.
And I think that this parallel shows us real Dazai. Because even if he himself doesn’t think so, he changes. Slowly, painfully, overstepping his past mistakes and accepting himself, but he changes. He’s still manipulative and he’s still doing everything to get what he needs even if it means he should injure somebody.
But Atsushi still sees a good person in him despite everything Dazai did and does. Atsushi, one of the few people, believes in him and in his kindness. Atsushi CAN see through his masks and CAN understand Dazai, so both of his phrases – at the beginning and in the end – are true. He’s confused because it’s obvious that Dazai came to the grave with a certain purpose and it’s obvious that Dazai has opportunity to be good.
And Dazai is shocked. He has not so many people who have seen through him so deeply and who have believed in him so sincerely.
Dazai is not an angel. He’s kind of devilish sometimes, sadistic, pain in his soul makes him want to end all of it. He hates pain. He hates the process of living. He hates himself. He can’t end it.
But when there are people like Atsushi around him, who believe in him despite of everything, he still can manage. Dazai still has a chance to become a better person, even if it’s not what he’s used to. And Atsushi several times showed that he’s here to save him.
Just like Dazai ones saved Atsushi.
I identify as female with she/her pronouns. I love anything One Piece. Especially Trafalgar Law.
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